Washing machine



.hun 9, 192s. 1,540,956

E. RUE

WASHING MACHINE' Filed Oct, lO, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet l Il f: ,77 'A l, No/1 11g-"8 ll/f i? l Ws #fro/mfr Jne 9, 1925. r 1,540,956

' E. RUE -f WASHING MACHINE Filed oct. 1o, 1921 f `2 sheen-sheet 2 0 o oo o A o o od l5 l/ l l/g/ 6 6@ i? a l 'i l. J5 J 7,5 1

Patented .lune '9, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT oEEicE.' 'c

EDWARD RUE, 0F MINNEAPOLS, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNOR T0 RUE-NELSON MANFAC-TUBING COMPANY, OF lIvIINNEPiOLEIS, MINNESOTA, CORPORATION OF MINNE- lSOTA.

WASHING MACHNE.

p Application filed October 10, 1921. Serial No. 506,686.

T0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, EDWARD RUE, a citizen of the United States, residingat Minne apolis, in the county of Hennepin and State of Minnesota, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in lashing Machines; and ldo hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to a washing machine, and particularly to thattype of such a machine in which the clothes are placed in a closedreceptacle with the washing liquid and are acted upon by reciprocatingpounders or pressers. Y

It is an object of this invention to improve the Vdriving -mechanism forthe pounders or pressers and to so arrange the same that the operationof said pounders will be discontinued when the cover of the saidreceptacle is lifted.

It 'is another object of the invention to provide the machine with asimple and etlicient frame of pleasing appearance and to construct theliquid and clothes containing receptacle so that the same isquicklyremovable bodily from said frame.

lt is still a further object of the invention to construct thereceptacle with inwardly inclined end walls having an unobstructedbottom wall therebetween and to have the reciprocating and oscillatingpounders moving in proximity to the said inclined walls so that theclothes are alternately moved downwardly along said walls, andintermittently moved through the washing iiuid in a rotary path. p

Another object of the inventionis to provide the washing machine with awringer swingingly mounted at one end of the frame and to provide animproved form of driving mechanism for driving said wringer in eitherdirection.

These and other obj ects and advantages of the invention will beapparent from the following description made in connection with theaccompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer tothesame parts throughout the different views, and in which Fig. l is alongitudinal vertical section through thev machine the wringer beingshown in side elevation, and the lid of the receptacle, together withthe pounders shown moved to open position; i

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section taken onthe line .22 of Fig. l, asindicated by the arrows; f f

Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. l, asindicated by the ar-' rows and being shown on an enlarged scale;

Fig. t is a view in side elevation on an enlarged scale of a portion ofthe operating mechanism; i

Fig. 5 is a top plan view' of the machine;

Fig. 6 is a vertical section taken through the driving mechanism for thewringer; and

Fig. 7 is a view on an enlarged scale showing the construction of thereceptacle.

Referring to the drawings, the machine comprises a rectangular framehaving ver* tical channel members l at the corners thereof, the bottomsof which are provided `with suitable casters. A sheet metal licor 2 issup-V ported by the members 1 a short distance above the casters andsheet metal side and end members 3 and l extend down the sides of theframe from the top to said iioorpa door 5 being formed at one end togiveaccess to the parts supported on said floor. The top of the frame isprovided with an inwardly extending flange 6 having a rectangularopening at its inner side and a liquid and clothes containing receptacle7 efrectangular form at its upper portion vis dis-posed in said openingand is provided with outwardly extending angle members 7a at its upperedge which extend over the flanges (i so that the receptacle 7 issupported by said flanges and is bodily removable upwardly through theopening therebetween.

The washing liquid and the clothes to be washed are placed in thereceptacle 7 and the clothes are acted upon by a pair of conical poundermembers or cups 8 having their" lower open endsof cylindrical shape andformed with suitable smooth flanges or beads. The members 8 are rigidlysecured to a curved bar 9, which bar has a hub 9:l formed at its topcentral Vportion from which extends upwardly an arm 9b having a bifur'cated upper end.` The receptacle 7 is provided with a top hinged coverll0 suitably reinforced by angles. at the edge thereof and a plate l1 issecuredV across the top cenf (i il tral portion of this cover and has anopening 11"L formed at its central portion with bearing lugs at :eachside thereof which receive theenilsnfthe pivot membery passing throughthe hub 9a. The members Sand 9 arehtherefore, pivoted to said platellfor scillatii'ig movement. It will vbe noted that the end walls of thereceptacle 7 arel inwardly inclined and that the members 8 movedownwardly in close proximitytliereto. The botto-m of the wreceptacle 7extend- 'ing between these inclined portions is en tiiely unobstructed.

oscillating the members 8 and9, fthe bifurcated end of the arms 9 isconnected to a link 12 which extendsdiagonally a-cross :the top `ofthecover 10 to fa point over the flange 6 of the frame and is providedwitha forked end extending parallel to the side of said ftlange. Theflange (iis provided with 'a sit 6ta-nd, the :lrpper end v'of ajle'ver13 extends upwardly through said slot and is pivo'tallyy connected tothe forked end Vof link 12. The ends of the link 12 extend vsomedistance beyond 'the pivotal connection 'of lever 13v andare formed withcurved surfaces 12a, fSShQW/n irl Fig.. 4, f0r--apu`rpose-to be .flaterdescribed.. The/lever 13 Afor the intermediate portion of its'lengthisformed of sp'aced members 13a Vand these members extend downwardly oneach sideoff a, bracket member 14secfured Vto ythe side` and yend walls53 and 4 ofthe machine frame. The fmemb'er V14V is formed with ja slot141l ingits upper side in'which normally sea-ts a pivot member 131Ysecured i-n and extending vbetween the members 13a. The llower. end ofthe ylever *18 is pi'votal'ly connected to a ,pitman 15 which is, inturn, pivoted at its other end -to lan eccentric strap surrounding aneccentric '16 carried by a vertically extending shaft 1'?. The lattershaft extends vertically from` a worm fwheel 18 to which `it is rigidlysecured, which worm wheel meshes and is driven by aworm gear .19, 4theworm wheel and Egear being enclosed Lin va suitable housing 20. The wormgear` 19` has a shaft secured thereto and extending from thelfifousingf2()l which is driven l'by a pulley V21 secured thereto wihichis, in turn, driven from -tfhe usual electric motorr22, through a belt23, the motor andhous'ing 2O being suitably supported on the HoorA 2 ofthe machine frame.

A wringer, designated generally ias a, is mounted ina post 24 secured tothe top of the frame, the wringer being rotatable in said post 'and heldin 'various rotated positions by a pivot catch 24a adapted toengage inspaced slots in the flange on the top of said post. In order to;drivethe 4rollers ofthe wringer, the same are connected 'by suitablegears to a beveled gear 25 with which `mesh reversely disposed beveledionsQG and 26a. A shaft 27 extends through said prnions and projectsdownwardly into the post 24, said shaft having its lower end angularlyformed and extending` into an angularly formed socket in the upper endof a rotatable member 28. Thelatter 'member extends downwardly throughthe post 24 and is connected by a universal joint to a connecting rod 29which is,- in turn, connected at itsy other end by a universal joint tothe top of the shaft 17. lVhen the inotor 22 is ruiming the gears 25, 26and 261 will therefore be turned. The pinions 26 and 26a are formed withgrooves in their adjacent faces and the ,shaft 27 `is provided withcross Apins27aadapted toibe, received in vsaid grooves. rEhe .upper endof the shaft 27 has la collar thereon which, together with the end yofsaid shaft, is received in a head member 30. ,A bail 31 is connected tothe sides of said head and extends over the same and an eccentric member32 having an eccentric hub portion, is received between` the top of bthehead 8() and the underside lof ltheibail `31. The eccentric 82 ispivoted to the lside of a frame member 3 3 of the wringerand is'provided with an operating handler so that when swung to one side orthe other, `the shaft 274 will be raised or lowered andthe pins 27 movedinto 'engagement with either one ofthe pinions 26 or 26, thus connectingthe said pinion and the gear 25 to said shaft. The wringer ycan thus bedrivenin yeither direction depending upon which pinion is engaged. Asshown in. Fig.. 6, the shaft 27 can be held-in position with bothpinions disengaged and when in this position,;the wringer will not beoperated. A plate 34 is Sil provided flraving suitable means thereon tolhol-'d the handle 'of the eccentric inits adjusted position. y

Inopera-tion,the clothes Vwill be placed .in the receptacle 7afnd whentheniotor is started, the lever 13,l will :be 'oscillated about itsfulcrum 13b and themembers-S and 9 will. thus 'be osci'llated, theinembers 8 pressing down on the clothes and forcing the watertherethrough. lNhen the members 8 rise, Ya suction wi'li be exertedl onthe cloithes and the water will thus be drawn `through the same. Akthorough cleansingA and lbleaching action is rthus 'secured rThepresent machine is an improycinent over `t-he Amachines disclosedapplicants prior Patents N3-,101,-granted October 25th, 11904-, and824,674, granted Jim-c 26th` 1906. ln 'said patents, member i?) wasdisposed in the `botton of the receptacle between the members 8 toprevent the clothing frein being 'moved laterally. The advantages of aprotiibera-nce in the lbottom of handfoperaited washing machines, offthe type Idisclosed in my former patents, 'when the oscillating strokefof Ithe pounders` is variable, is obvious. It has lbeen found'impractical, :howeveigfto similarly construct al power-operated4machinewhcre the stroke of'tliepounders must necessarily be fixed. Itwill be readily seen that such a protuberance, or other obstructiontothe free circulation. of the clothes in the receptacle, through thewashing fluid, during the positive operation of the pounders, wouldcause the machine to stall or otherwise interfere with the desiredoperation thereof. It has also been found desirable to incline the endwalls of the receptacle at an angle of approximately 450 to the bottom,`so that the pounders will travel in close proximity thereto during theiroperation upon the clothes. The clothes then fall outward toward the endof the receptacle and are again pressed downwardly by the members 8.*The clothes are thus rotated or turned over by the action of the members8 in connection with the inclined ends and the unobstructed bottom. Thisresult-s in all parts of the clothes being brought under the ac tion ofthe members 8 and thus efiiciently washed.

When the cover 10 is lifted, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1, theextended ends 12a of the link 12 bear upon the top of the flange 6 atthe sides of the slot 6a and lift the lever v18. The fulcrum pin 13b isthus lifted out of the slot up to member 14, as shown in dotted lines inFig. 1. The lever then merely swings about its pivotal connection withthe lever 12 and no motion is transmitted to the link 12 or member 9.The lifting of the cover, therefore, disconnects the driving mechanismfrom the members S or 9 or renders the same inoperative.

The operation of the wringer has been sufhciently described and it isthought the same needs no further explanation. It will also be notedthat the receptacle 7, t0- gether with the lever 12 and parts 8 and S),can be bodily lifted from the frame by disconnectingI the link 12 fromthe lever 13.

From the above description it is seen that applicant has provided animproved and eliicient structure of washing machine, the

Y parts of which are simple, easily constructed and arranged to be ofeasy access for any necessary attention.

It will, of course, be understood thatvarious changes may be made in theform, details and arrangement of the parts without departing from thescope of applicants invention, which, generally stated, consists in thematter shown and described and set forth in the appended claims.

lhat is claimed is:

1. A washing machine having in combination, a frame, a liquid andclothes receptacle supported therein, a hinged cover for said receptacleoscillatory means in said receptacle for acting on the clothes, meansfor actuating said oscillatory means including a lever fulcrumed on ahorizontal pivot, and also including means for lifting said lever fromits fulcrum when the cover 1s raised to thereby stop the actuation ofsaid oscillatory means.

2. A washing machine having in combina tion, a frame, a receptacletherein adapted to receive the clothes and washing liquid movable meanstherefor for operating on the clothes, a driving mechanism for saidmeans comprising a` pair of'levers and a link connecting said leverstosaid movable means and a hinged cover for said receptacle, said linkhaving an extension atone end Vforming a lifting cam arranged, whenVsaid cover is raised, to engage the framel and lift one of said'leversto render the same and said driving mechani sm inoperative.

3. A washingmachine having incombination, a frame, a receptacle mountedthereinadapted to receive the clothes and washing liquid, Va swingingcover for said 11.-

receptac'le oscillatory meanstherein for act ing on the clothes, abracket secured to the frame having a slot therein, 'a lever having apivotV seated in the slot in said bracket forming part of an actuatingmeans for said oscillating means, and means con nected to said lever andcover whereby when said cover is raised, the lever will be lifted andits pivot removed from said slot whereby the oscillating means Willcease to be driven. y

Ll. A washing machine havingin combination, a frame, a receptaclemounted therein adapted to receive the clothes and washing liquid, anoscillating member therein for acting on the clothes, a link connectedto said oscillating member having one end disposed over said frame, avertically extending lever pivotally connected at its upper end to saidlink, said lever being pivoted in a bracket secured to said frame, theend of said link being pro- `iected beyond the pivotal connection withsaid lever to form a cam means, a hinged cover for said receptacle onwhich saidoscillating means is mounted, whereby when the said cover israised, the extended end of said link will act as a cam on said frameand raise the lever to lift the pivot thereof from said bracket.

5. A washing machine having in combination, a frame, a receptaclesupported therein adapted to receive the clothes and Washing liquid andhaving end walls inclined at an angle of approximately 45 degrees,oscillating spaced pounders oscillating in a vertical plane in closeproximity to said walls and acting alternatelyto push the clothesdownwardly along the same, said receptacle having an unobstructed flatbottom between said pounders whereby the clothes will be given a rotarymotion downwardly along said walls and upwardly between said pounders.

6. A washing machine having in combination, Ya frame, a rectangularreceptacle supported therein adapted to receive vthe Clothes and washingliquid ard having a plane bottom and inwardly .nclined end wallsdisposed at 'an angle of approximately 45- degrees, and meansmounted insaid receptacle for alternately pushing the clothes downwardly landinwardly along said end walls, the space-betweenlsaid wallsbeingun'obstruc'ted where'l y lthe clothes will lbe intermittently movedand a rotary -motion imparted thereto. y ,n

7. A poweroperated washing machine comprising in combination with-,asupport` ing frame, a motor, and a receptacle 'for the clothes .andwashing fluid carried by said frame, said receptacle .having asubstantially flat unobstructed bottom portion and end walls .inclinedat anarrgle ,of V-approximately 45C tu said bottom, AClothes pounderspivotall) mounted within ysaid receptacle on Va .horizontal .axis .andvadapted to oseillate through a ,predetermined cyclo during` theoperation oi the machine, and means'operatively connecting saidypounde'rs and motor whereby vthe pounders are caused to operatealternately upon the 'clothes -in the receptacle and whereby to cause acirculation of ne clothes in a rotary path through the washing fluid,substantially as described.

' 8. A washing machine comprising` a re` ceptacle adapted to contain the`liquid and clothes, said receptacle havingl inwardly inclined end wallsand spaced alternately operating oscillating` means adapted to movedownwardly adjacent said walls, the angle of .said walls 'being ksuchthat said means 'co-operates with said walls to revolve said clothes.

In testimony whereof 'I alix my signature.

EDWARD RUE.

